Long-term effect of different physiotherapy programs on forearm pain and function in lateral epicondylitis

The object: pain and arm function. The problem: ,,Tennis elbow“ or lateral epicondylitis is a condition, caused by repetitive overuse of forearm muscles. It can cause long-term disability. This leads to pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow (Oken et al., 2008; Vincenzino et al., 2009). If there is no medical treatment, lateral epicondylitis can cause potential complications: chronic pain, loss of function, elbow contractures. Typically, it is easier to treat lateral epicondylitis on acute phase o lateral epicondylitis (Frontera et al., 2015). Hypothesis: We believe, that mobilization with movement, taping and self-mobilization will be significantly higher, than the treatment of therapeutic exercises, on long-term effect of arm pain and function in lateral epicondylitis. The aim: to evaluate long-term effect of different physiotherapy programs on pain and function in patients with lateral epicondylitis. Objectives of the study: 1. Evaluate and establish, mobilization with movement, taping and self-mobilization long-term effect, on arm pain and function, before physical therapy sessions, after 2 weeks and 4 months. 2. Evaluate and establish, therapeutic exercises long-term effect, on arm pain and function, before physical therapy sessions, after 2 weeks and 4 months. 3. Compare mobilization with movement, taping and self-mobilization and therapeutic exercises programs, on arm pain and function, after 2 weeks and 4 months. Conclusions: 1. Applying mobilization with movement, taping and self-mobilization, arm pain and function increased after two weeks and after four months. 2. Applying therapeutic exercises, after two weeks pain decreased, wrist flexion, extension and forearm flexion amplitude and grip strenght increased, but after four months forearme extension amplitude and grip strenght decreased. 3. Mobilization with movement, taping and self-mobilization demonstrated greater reduction to decreased arm pain and increased forearm and wrist amplitudes, than the therapeutic exercises throughout treatment. Recommendations and suggestions: After the study, according to the results, we recommended implicate mobilization with movement, taping and self-mobilization in physiotherapy programs. Combining mobilization with movement and therapeutic exercises programs, we would obtain maximum impact. Mulligan mobilization with movement widely used technique not only on later epicondylitis, but also to treat medial epicondylitis, shoulder and spine problems. It is best done before using other methods of treatment: strengthening, stretching, active and passive physical therapy, physiotherapy procedures. The primary task of mobilization with movement to reduce pain and continue to train the affected area: develop strength, increase range of motion, move without pain